The present invention generally relates to a remote operation control for a computer system or systems. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an operation control system improved in respect to reliability, confidentiality and facility in the automatic supervision of occurrence of error or fault in the computer system or systems and automatic communication or information thereof to an operator or supervisor, as well as recognition processing of the error occurrence from a remote location.
In conjunction with 24-hour service of an information processing system, i.e. an electronic computer system, increasing difficulty is encountered in employing and keeping a required number of operators who can attend the computer system. As an attempt for making possible the unmanned operation of the computer system, there has already been proposed a control system for a network constituted by a plurality of computer systems in which the individual computer systems mutually supervise the operating state, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6426/1986. More specifically, according to the control technique described in this publication, the start and stop of the computer systems constituting a network is realized under the control of a supervising console by way of a public telecommunication line or network, wherein after activation, the computer systems are mutually supervised by one another and controlled by making use of a dedicated data transmission line interconnecting the computer systems.
On the other hand, as a functional means for supporting or aiding the unmanned operation of the computer system, there is known an auto-operation monitor or AOM which can operate under the control of an operating system (OS) running on a computer system, as is disclosed in "VOSS Auto-Operation Monitor", Hitachi Manual Data No. 8090-811.
The auto-operation monitor operates under the control of an operating system of a computer system for monitoring or supervising message data outputted to operator's consoles internally of the computer system to invalidate or cancel the job being executed or activating particular jobs at designated time points for thereby supporting the unmanned operation of the computer system.
The prior art system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6426/1986 is so arranged that one of the computer systems constituting a network is activated by other one by using a public telecommunication line, wherein data for supervision are transferred through a dedicated data transmission line. It is however noted that the abovementioned publication contains neither teachings nor suggestion concerning the monitoring or supervision of occurrence of error or fault in the computer systems and the procedure or measures for disposing of error or fault as detected.